Rain shield for outdoor appliances

Abstract

The present invention involves a rain shield assembly for a package air conditioner and heat pump unit. A cover is pivotally mounted to the package unit housing and has a sealing pad made of a resilient foam material. When the cover is moved to a sealing position, the foam pad contacts foam sealing strips that are attached to the unit housing and that separately ring access openings provided in the housing. Electrical circuitry such as circuit breakers may port through these access openings. Cavities are provided in the sealing pad in alignment with the access openings to accommodate projecting handles or switches of the electrical circuitry. The contact between the sealing pad and the sealing strips forms water-tight seals around the portion of the electrical circuitry projecting from the package unit housing so as to protect the circuitry from potentially damaging exposure to the elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A package air conditioner comprising: a housing including an access opening;   a unit for conditioning air disposed within said housing;   an electrical switch associated with said unit for conditioning air located in said access opening and extending therefrom;   a cover movably mounted on said housing and moveable between a first position and a second position, said access opening being uncovered by said cover when said cover is moved to said first position;   a seal member attached to one of said housing and said cover;   said seal member including a cavity therein, said cavity aligned with said access opening when said cover is disposed in said second position with said electrical switch extending into said cavity whereby said seal member is sealingly disposed between said cover and said housing when said cover is arranged in said second position to provide a moisture barrier around said access opening.   
     
     
       2. The package air conditioner of claim 1 further comprising a bracket fixedly secured to said housing, wherein said cover is pivotally connected to said bracket, allowing said cover to pivot relative to said bracket during movement from said first position to said second position. 
     
     
       3. The package air conditioner of claim 2 further comprising a sealing strip sandwiched between said bracket and said housing to form a moisture barrier. 
     
     
       4. The package air conditioner of claim 1 wherein said seal member is fixedly secured to said cover. 
     
     
       5. The package air conditioner of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a plurality of access openings, said seal member includes a plurality of cavities aligned with said plurality of access openings when said cover is disposed in said second position. 
     
     
       6. The package air conditioner of claim 1 further comprising a base frame secured to said housing, wherein said base frame comprises a first latching module, and wherein said cover comprises a second latching module complementarily structured with said first latching module to allow latching together of said cover and said base frame when said cover is disposed in said second position, said first and second latching modules positioned to ensure said first seal member seals between said cover and the appliance housing upon engagement of said first and second latching modules. 
     
     
       7. A package air conditioner comprising: a housing including an access opening;   a unit for conditioning air disposed within said housing;   an electrical switch associated with said unit for conditioning air and located in said access opening;   a cover movably mounted to said housing and moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein said access opening is uncovered by said cover when said cover is arranged in said first position;   a first seal member attached to one of said housing and said cover; and   said first seal member structured and arranged to be sealingly disposed between said cover and said housing when said cover is arranged in said second position to provide a moisture barrier around said access opening;   a base frame secured to said housing, wherein said base frame comprises a first latching module, and wherein said cover comprises a second latching module complementarily structured with said first latching module to allow latching together of said cover and said base frame when said cover is disposed in said second position, said first and second latching modules positioned to ensure said first seal member sealed between said cover and the appliance housing upon engagement of said first and second latching modules;   said first latching module comprising a projecting nub; and   said second latching module comprising one of an aperture and a recess in a flange of said cover.   
     
     
       8. A package air conditioner comprising: a housing including an access opening;   a unit for conditioning air disposed within said housing;   an electrical switch associated with said unit for conditioning air and located in said access opening;   a cover movably mounted to said housing and moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein said access opening is uncovered by said cover when said cover is arranged in said first position;   a first seal member attached to one of said housing and said cover; and   said first seal member structured and arranged to be sealingly disposed between said cover and said housing when said cover is arranged in said second position to provide a moisture barrier around said access opening;   a base frame secured to said housing, wherein said base frame comprises a first latching module, and wherein said cover comprises a second latching module complementarily structured with said first latching module to allow latching together of said cover and said base frame when said cover is disposed in said second position, said first and second latching modules positioned to ensure said first seal member sealed between said cover and the appliance housing upon engagement of said first and second latching modules;   a bracket fixedly secured to said housing and to which said cover is pivotally connected;   a bracket sealing strip sandwiched between said bracket and said housing to form a first moisture barrier; and   a frame sealing strip sandwiched between said base frame and said housing to form a second moisture barrier, wherein said frame sealing strip comprises a configuration complementary to said bracket sealing strip to together sealingly enclose an area on a face of said housing.   
     
     
       9. The package air conditioner of claim 1 wherein said cover comprises a slot at a bottom cover corner structured and arranged to facilitate drainage of moisture. 
     
     
       10. The package air conditioner of claim 2 wherein said cover comprises a top flange, wherein said bracket comprises a sealing flange, and further comprising an upper sealing member disposed adjacent said cover top flange, wherein said bracket sealing flange engages said upper sealing member to form a fluid tight seal between said bracket and said cover. 
     
     
       11. The package air conditioner of claim 1 wherein said first seal member is attached to said cover, said package air conditioner further comprising a sealing strip engageable with said first seal member, said sealing strip fixedly secured to said housing and extending circumferentially around said access opening. 
     
     
       12. The package air conditioner of claim 5 further comprising a filler plate insertable into at least one of said access openings. 
     
     
       13. A package air conditioner comprising: a housing including an access opening;   a unit for conditioning air disposed within said housing;   an electrical switch associated with said unit for conditioning air located in said access opening and extending therefrom;   a cover;   means for movably mounting said cover to said housing, said cover movable between an unsealed position and a sealing position;   a seal member secured to a surface of said cover, said seal member including a cavity aligned with said unit access opening when said cover is disposed in said sealing position with said electrical switch extending into said cavity, whereby a fluid-tight seal is provided between said cover and said housing when said cover is disposed in said sealing position to prevent moisture external to said cover from reaching the access opening of the package unit.   
     
     
       14. The package air conditioner of claim 13, further comprising a sealing strip circumferentially extending around said access opening. 
     
     
       15. The package air conditioner of claim 14 wherein said seal member and said sealing strip each comprise a resilient foam construction. 
     
     
       16. The package air conditioner of claim 13 further comprising means for latching said cover in said sealing position. 
     
     
       17. A package air conditioner comprising: a housing including an access opening;   a unit for conditioning air disposed within said housing;   an electrical switch associated with said unit for conditioning air located in said access opening and extending therefrom;   a bracket installed on said housing;   a cover pivotally connected to said bracket and moveable between first and second positions, wherein said cover uncovers a portion of said access opening when disposed in said first position; and   a seal member associated with said cover, said seal member including a cavity, said electrical switch extending into said cavity when said cover is disposed in said second position, whereby a circumferential, water-tight seal is formed around said access opening.   
     
     
       18. The package air conditioner of claim 17 wherein said seal member is attached to said cover, said package air conditioner further comprising a sealing strip engageable with said seal member, said sealing strip fixedly secured to said housing and extending circumferentially around said access opening.